Because of You
by VictoriaBlush
Summary: Fitzwillam Darcy uneventful and orderly life suddenly turned upside down when he met his company new intern, Elizabeth Bennett. It was love at first sight. Because of her, he wanted to live again instead of existing. She was his mercy. His salvation. But their whirlwind romance takes for a downward spiral when a villain from his past started to threaten his new found happiness.
1. Prologue

_**Fitzwilliam,**_

 _ **With a heavy heart and unwilling hands I type you this email. By the time you read this, I probably would not be in this world anymore.  
I tried. God knows how I tried. To moved on. To get passed this humiliation. To have a new start and be a woman that you would be proud with.  
For a little while I thought I did. That I finally conquered my demons.  
**_ _ **But now I know I can't. I can't live with myself, knowing that I carried a devil spawn in my womb. That monster's child.  
I just can't do it. Not without losing my sanity. I hope I was stronger. Strong enough to overcame this, but alas, I'm just a weak and spineless girl. It breaks my heart that you were saddled with sister like me instead of someone deserving.**_

 _ **I'm not thick faced enough to asked for forgiveness when I knew I would cause you such tremendous grief and sorrow. So I won't. And you don't have to forgive me.  
You could hate me and curse me if it will make you feel better, but I know you, and you would likely condemn yourself than reproach somebody else.  
Foolish sweet Fitzwilliam. Please... don't blame yourself, it wasn't your fault. It never was. Simply think of it as fate. Our fate as family ends here, as it is my fate to die tonight.  
As for you... I know you will be alright. Maybe not tomorrow or the days after, but someday. Someday you'd be full of joy, happiness, laughter and love. So much love that it makes all these tragedies nothing but a faded distant memories.  
I know so brother, because no matter how unfair fate is, it never too cruel to turn its back on a person who suffered too much on it's hand and if there's a man who deserves happiness, it is you my dear Fitzwilliam.  
I know it's ironic coming from someone who choose to end her life but, live, brother.  
Live life to the fullest. Never let fear rules you, because life's too short for regrets. **_

_**Have a good life, brother. That's all I asked.**_

With a shaking hand, Georgiana pressed enter. Done. She did it. She just emailed her brother a suicide note. She didn't want to do it. Oh God, she didn't! But she must! For her family sakes, especially her beloved brother. Her other hand softly caressing the pen that Fitzwilliam gave her and kissed it, before putting it in a holder with a bunch of other pens and pencils.

Straightening her shoulders, she wipes the tears running across her cheek and stood. Turning away from the laptop on the writing table with a determined look, she faced her fate.

 _Good bye, my dear beloved brother._


	2. The Bennett Ladies

April 2011

Longbourn, Hertfordshire.

Sitting in front of the vanity desk in her childhood bedroom, Jane took a couple gulp of airs to settle her nerves. When it fails, she pinched the back of her hand.

"Stop it, Jane! You're going to leave a bruise." yelled Lizzy, snapping closed her lipstick tube.

"Yeah, I really don't want to deal with mama 'fit of nerves' today." quipped Lydia, not looking up from her phone screen. "Especially after the flowers fiasco yesterday."

Jane cringed at the memory. _Ahh... those poor florist. they faced the wrath of Frances Bennett just because-_

"Come here, Jane." Lizzy interrupts her inner monologue, grabbed her hand and pulls her in front of the standing mirror. Hugging her sister from the behind, Lizzy propped her chin on top of Jane shoulder. Catching her sister's eyes in the mirror, Lizzy's face softened. "You look breathtaking, Jane. Like a fairytale princess." They smile at each other through the mirror.

"With your blonde hair and blue eyes, you look more like a classy and beautiful barbie doll to me." Both ladies turn over their shoulders to look at their youngest sister.

Lydia approached her older sisters, tugging her strapless dress up with one hand while the other busy snapping pictures on her phone.

"Smile."

Bending her body this and that way for a different angle, Lydia giggled behind her phone. "And Charles do resemble a Ken doll, quite a lot. Ahh.. your babies are going to be sooo beautiful with a perfect blonde hair and blue eyes. I'm sooo going to be their favourite aunt."

"Lydia, you're 13. Aren't you're too old to still play with a barbie doll?" Lizzy narrowed her eyes at Lydia.

"Lizzy, you're 15. Aren't you're too old to still believe in fairytales?" Lydia crossing her arms and glaring back at her older sister.

"Stop it, you two. Today is my wedding day. To the man of my dream . I'm so happy I could float to the sky, and I want my sisters- all my sisters, to share my happiness. Is that too selfish of me?" uttered Jane with feeling, looking pointedly at Lizzy and Lydia.

She glanced behind them seeing Mary engrossed in a book at the corner of the bed, and Kitty with a curling iron in her hair, her bohemian halter dress sways with every move she makes.

Looking contrite, Lizzy and Lydia apologized, making Jane grinned and shakes her head.

"Sisters hug!" She spread her arms wide.

Mary and Kitty stopped what their doing and runs to their sisters for a group hug- or better known to them as sisters hug.

 _Just like they always did._

Yes, little sisters can be anoying, most of the time. And loud. And nosy. And they stole your clothes too. But, she could always count on them to lift her up when she's down and be there for her when she's having a rough time.

 _Yes, she wouldn't trade them for anything in the world._

Letting go a after a short while, Jane blue eyes scan over her sisters. Who all wore the same shade of forest green bridesmaid dress, albeit in a different style.

Standing on her right side is Elizabeth Margaret Bennett, wearing and off shoulder sweetheart neckline flowy dress.

While she loves all her sisters very much, Lizzy hold a special place in her heart. Jane blinks a few times to clear her welling eyes.

Itzy bitzy little Lizzy. A tiny little thing with a capful of dark hair. The newborn look just like a doll to her then 10-year-old mind and stealing her heart on the spot. Jane used to changed her diapers, feed her, sang her lullabies, and rock her to sleep. She would throw a hissy fit when her mama tried to take away Baby Lizzy from her arms. But it was her startling violet eyes that captivates Jane the most.

Now, a 15-year-old teenage girl, Lizzy is as bright as she is stubborn . More often than not, the cause of their mother 'fits of nerves'.

Her gaze move to a 14-year-old Mary Agnes Bennett standing in a dress two size too big for her. The long-sleeved, shapeless dress making her look boxy and unattractive. Not doing her curvy figure any justice. Jane inwardly sighed, hoping she realized someday that a single digit dress size does not represent beauty and shows off her curves proudly.

"Why don't you let Kitty do your hair for you, Mary? She really does have a magic touch with hair, you know." Jane smile gently, touching a few of the thick brown curls escaping form the tight bun.

"Yeah, I would love to get my hands in that curls of yours. Would you let me do it?" Grinning, Kitty curled her arm around Mary shoulder.

"And I would love to have a go at that sorry excuse of a dress. Give me 30 minutes. And a sewing machine. I can transform it into a dress even Cinderella would envy, dear sister." Lydia twirled around, humming a song from the animated Cinderella movie.

"And you said I'm too old for fairytale." muttered Lizzy under her breath.

"Shut up, Lizzy!"

"You shut up!"

"Ummm, maybe another time?" Mary soft spoken-words stopped the bickering sister. "I don't think we have enough time to comb through this rat's nest of mine." Adjusting her glasses, Mary look at the twins. "And this dress is comfortable and easy to walk in with, so that's enough for me. I don't need a fancy smancy dress that I'm not going to wear again."

Jane inwardly sigh again and faced the twins. Her two youngest sister. The double trouble, as their father like to called them. The only way to tell the twins apart was their hair color. Kitty was born with a light sandy-brown instead of Lydia's dark chocolate-brown locks.

At the age of 13, Catherine Hadley Bennett have a lot of interest- _and talent_ in painting. Be it objects, landscape or portraits. She excels in them all. A fact that delight their mother to no end, and love to boast to any ears willing to listen.

Younger by 5 minutes, Lydia Harper Bennett is their family drama queen extraordinaire . If not musing about fashion and boys, she most likely busy planning one shenanigans after another, that usually ends up with broken Longbourn heirloom antiques. Sending their poor mother abed in one of her 'fit of nerves'.

"JAANNEEE!" Mrs. Frances Bennett burst into the room in a tizzy.

 _Ahh. Speak of the devil._

"Jane! Did you know that Charles best man won't be attending the ceremony today?" Mrs. Bennett paced the length in front of her bed, high heels clicking with every step she takes.

"Ohh, that wretched, wretched inconsiderate man." twisting her silk handkerchief as she continued to pace.

"Does he know how hard it was to plan a wedding? All the hardwork is ruin! Ruin, I tell you! Now, who would stand up with Charles? And we can't have an absent best man. How would it looks like in the photos? Bad! That's how it looks like! I can't have bad photos on my first child wedding. Ohh, the nerve of that man. How could he do that to his own best friend? That pompous arrogant-"

"Mama" Grabbing her mothers arms to stop her tirade, Jane uttered somberly. "Mr. Darcy have a very good reason yo not come today, Mama." Taking a deep breath, she continued, "He just lost his sister a few months ago."

"Oh." Deflating, Mrs. Bennett slump down the bed. "I- I didn't know. I didn't mean to-"

Sitting on the bed next to her, Jane squeezed her mother's hand. "It's okay, mama. You didn't know. Mr. Darcy didn't like to talk about it."

"Mr. Darcy? Isn't that Charles new boss ?" Elizabeth cocked her head and look at Jane.

"Yes, they attended the same boarding school and have been good friends ever since. After Charles passed the bar exam, Mr. Darcy employes him as one of their staff attorney at Darcy Corporation."

"Oh. It must be hard for him. Carrying such a big responsibility of running a huge company on top of losing his sister. His only family." uttered Lizzy sadly, her heart aching for a man that she never met.

Clearing her throat, Mrs. Bennett patted Jane hand. "Jane dear, do send my deepest condolence to Mr. Darcy when you met him. Ohh, the poor darling."

"I will, Mama."

"Right. I'm not trying to be callous, but the grieving will have to wait another day, my dear. It wouldn't do to have your makeup ruin by tears. Not today. Today is my firstborn wedding day. And no child of Frances Bennett Nee' Gardiner will have a less than perfect wedding. Over my cold dead body." with a determined nod, Mrs. Bennett rose from the bed. "If you excuse me girls, I'm going to somehow stuffed Mr. Collin in one of your father suits."

They all shuddered at the mental image.

"Eww. Whatever for." grimaced Lydia.

"Well, we do need a best man. And he's the only one available at close hand on short notice. But, I would not tolerate the abominable thing he wore as suits!" She shivered as she walked to the door. With a hand on the doorknob, Mrs. Bennett turned her head. "Desperate times call for desperate measures, girls." With a wink, she flounce downstairs to search her next unsuspecting prey.

"Oh, Mr. Collins. Where are you?"

* * *

Hi guys! Merry Christmas and Happy holiday.

I've been lurking a long time but I finally find a will and commitment to start writing. This was my first attempt so I hope you guys give me some slack and kindly pointed any mistakes I made.

Comments on your thoughts.

xoxo


	3. 5 Years later

I just want to say thank you very much for your feedbacks and comments.  
I appreciate it, you guys!  
For those whose curious about why there's a big age gap between Jane and Lizzy or why the Bennett family coddled Lizzy a little too much, please be patience. It will be revealed in due time.

Anyway, I was watching a tv show where the couple have a huge age gap, when the idea pops up in my head where Lizzy and Darcy have a big age difference and in a modern setting. * _They do have a 7-8 years of years between them in the original. I just added a couple more_.* The plot just flows in my mind like a silent movie that I have no choice but to write it down.  
The taboo aspect of it also intrigues me and with her being his intern, it will amped up the level of scandal.  
*Hint: There certainly will be a scandal. A huge one.* *wink*

* * *

5 Years Later

May 2016

Longbourn, Hertfordshire.

Jane drives around the circular driveway of her childhood home and parks to the side. Opening the door, she got out of the car and halfway walk to the manor front door when it burst open.

"Jane you're here!" Lizzy runs toward her and gives her a big hug.

Jane chuckled and patted her back, "I miss you too."

Lizzy grabbed her sister hand and dragged her to the house. "Well, come in, come in. We just about to start breakfast. Mrs. Hill made your favorite blueberry muffins."

"Jane dear!" Mrs. Bennett cried, fluttered down the grand sprawling staircase with the clicking of her high heels and embraced her. She pulled back and put her hands on Jane shoulders.

"Let me get a good look at you. Oh, you look positively glowing. The tropical weather agrees you, darling."

"Thank you, mama. Yes, Hawaii was great. But, it's good to be back. I missed my family."

Mrs. Bennett patted her cheek."Oh, you precious girl. Where's Charles, by the way?" She looks around when she realized the absence of her son-in-law.

"He was called back to the office about some urgent matter."

"Hmmph... You young people these days always busy busy busy. " huffed Mrs. Bennett. "And tell that Mr. Darcy to not over work Charles too much. He needed to start working on my grandchild."

Jane rolled her eyes behind her retreating mother's back, making Lizzy giggle before following her to the dinning room.

Jane surrounded by the rest of her sisters with hugs, and patiently answer each excited question about her Hawai when her father ambled from his study.

"Dad!" Jane hugged her father. "How are you feeling, today?"

"Ah, Janie. Welcome back, dear. I'm afraid my old bones aren't as spry as they used to be. But don't worry, I won't leave your mother to the hedgerow anytime soon."

''Tom! Don't even joke about it. You don't have compassion for my nerves." She twacks her husband's shoulder.

"Forgive me, darling." with a twinkle in his eyes, Mr. Bennett kissed his wife hand. Their affection clear on their face.

As usual, meal times in the Bennetts household was always chaotic, with alteast 2 conversation going on at once, loud voices trying to out loud each other to get their point crossed and be heard above the other. Jane always find it annoying in the past but now she missed it a little, their closeness. And camaraderie.

"Is something on your mind, Jane?" Mr. Bennett peers under his reading glasses, bottom half of his face hiding behind the morning paper.

"Oh, nothing Dad. Just... I forgotten how noisy my sisters can be." Jane smile affectionately toward her younger sisters.

"I'm sure after leaving Longbourn for so long, you used to a more mature and meaningful conversation now instead of idle teenage blabber."

"No.. no. Nothing like that. Truthfully, I kind of missed the noise. The flat can be so quiet sometimes."

"Then I suggest you start popping babies." Mrs. Bennett waved her butter knife. "Nothing kills quietness like children does. Lots of children." She ended her statement with a righteous nod.

Jane sigh. "Now is not the right time, mama."

Mrs. Bennett looked up from buttering her toast with a furrowed brows, "When is the right time, Jane? You're not getting any younger, and you have been married for 5 years. You're turning 30 this year. By the time I was 30 I already have you."

"Mama, we're just too busy to start a family now. Babies need lots of time, which I don't have aplenty at the moment. I don't want to be like some of those mothers that throws their kid at the nanny as soon as her maternity leave ends. When I have a baby I want to be able to give my full attention and care to the baby."

"Then you better make time, Jane. Or you might regretting when it was too late." Squeezing her hand, Mrs. Bennett sigh, "I just wanted the best for you, my dear. I want you to enjoy motherhood. Children, they really are a miracle of life- eventhough they sometimes make you crazy and causing premature grey hair." eyeing her younger daughters fighting over the last pastry.

Jane turned her head away, sipping orange juice, the longing expression unnoticed by the rest of her family.

Lizzy curled up on the soft velvet Victorian chaise in the library with a book of poems when her father enters, "I know you'd be in here." Mr. Bennett sat next to his daughter and pat her knee. "Have you packed your bags yet?"

She shook her head and distractedly answer her father, " I'll do it later. Besides, Lydia's the one who have the last say in which outfit to bring anyway. God forbid, I wore something mismatched." She murmured the last words, rolling her eyes.

Mr. Bennett chuckled and snatch her book away, "Hey, dad! Give it back!" Lizzy tried to grab the book from her father but he held it far away from her position on the chaise. "Dad, stop it. It's not funny. DADDY!"

"Alright, alright" still chucking, her dad gave her the book and settles next to her. Mr. Bennett put his arm around her shoulder and pulled her to him.

"I know you're not excited about the internship, but do you realize how big of an opportunity this is? Others would kill to be in your place."

"I guess..." Lizzy shrugged, laying her head on her father shoulder.

He kissed her head and looked down at her. "You know I won't force you, Lizzy, but promise me you'll try and give it your best. You'll never know how it'll turn out in the end."

"Hmm...mmm." She just nodded and snuggle deeper.

"I'm going to miss you, Daddy."

"I'm going to miss you more, Lizzybee." with a kissed to her father cheek Lizzy left the library.

Mr. Bennett smile wryly, watching Lizzy take the book with her.

 _Ah, she's going to take the book with her too._

Mr. Bennett walks to the huge build-in bookcase behind the chaise and fingers the books gently. It stands from floor to ceiling, spanning the whole side wall, made from dark oak. Unlike the other rooms in his ancestral home, this room cater exactly to his taste. He spend a lot of time— and money procuring from rare hardcovers, to first editions and rare historical books to the interior design and furniture.

This is his— _and Elizabeth_ sanctuary. Next to his study that is, and he was proud of it. _All the hard work pays off in the end_.

He finally chooses a book to lost into and sat on his favorite— navy high back Louis XVI bergere wing chair.

He was on the third chapter when the door opens and Jane walk in, making he raise his brow in surprise. "I never thought I'd see the day you walk in here without force."

Jane shrugged her shoulder, her back to him standing in front of the french windows.

 _Another daughter in distress_

"Well, your mother certainly would never thought to find you in here." He mused, turning another page.

It was awhile later, when Jane broke the peaceful quiet. "I wish mama would stop pressuring me about grandchildren."

Sighing, he closed the book with a thud, and gave his full attention to his eldest daughter. "Well, I do want a few grandchildren to bounce on my knee and read to in this huge room." He lifted his hand gesturing around the room.

"Dad, not you too!" gasped Jane, looking at him over her shoulder.

"Alright, alright." Mr. Bennet raise his hand in surrender. "Your mother's in a grandbaby tizzy because her sister's daughter— your cousin gave birth to a son, and her competitive spirit just won't let her lose to her younger sister." He shakes his head and watch his daugther shoulder slump.

 _Oh, Janie._

His firstborn. His serene and independent daughter.

 _The least troublesome too_.

For a while, he thought she's going to be his only child. Until Lizzy came into the world screaming, 10 years later. Unlike Lizzy, Jane however knows exactly what she wants to be since childhood and work tirelessly towards that goal. He remembers when she was 10 and came home from school crying, because a schoolmate of her came to school with a body full of bruises. He has the unpleasant job of trying to explain to the soft-hearted girl about the evilness in the world.

 _"Then dad, if their parents, who supposed to care for them, hurting them. Who's going to help them?" asked a teary 10 year old Jane._

 _"Well, there are some professionals out there whose main job are protecting those innocent children."_

 _"Really?"_

 _"Yes, really."_

 _"Then I'm going to be one when I'm grown up!"_

 _And she done exactly that._

Now, Jane is a succesful family law attorney but spend most of her time taking pro bono cases in helping abused and abandoned women and children. As her father, he was so proud of her archievement.

To distract her, he changed the subject. "Lizzy will start her internship at the Darcy corporation on the day after tomorrow."

She snorted inelegantly, "She's going to blow a gasket when she found out that you asked Mr. Darcy personally for her internship."

"Well, I have to do something. She just drifting, having no direction whatsoever for her future."

"She just haven't found something she's passionate about yet."

Mr. Bennett narrowed his eyes, " Let see, in two years she already changed her major from business administration to english literature, liberal arts, forestry and back to business administration. She also join cooking classes. And, did you know there was an ancient alien study class?" Jane shakes her head no, "Yes, there is, and she joins them too." He removes his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose.

Jane laughs and rub her father's back, "Relax dad, she's 20. She's entitled to have some rebellious phase. It's a part of growing up and transcending into adulthood. She just trying to find herself."

Mr. Bennett just sighs loudly.

Elizabeth sat cross-legged on her four poster bed, suitcases laying open on her feet.

"You have to bring a few sexy dresses too, you'll never know when you bump into handsome men." said Lydia from her closet, making Lizzy frown.

"I'm not you Lydia, I not going to clubs and 'bumps' into handsome men." Raising her pointer and middle fingers together she air quoted the word bumps.

Lydia rolled her eyes, "That's why you're still a virgin."

"Hey, I'm not going to sleep with some guy just for sex. I'm waiting for—"

"The one." She air quoted back at her sister. "Yes. we know."

Folding the dresses into the suitcase, Lydia stand facing her sister. "I know you wants love. A deep, abiding, true love and for your sake, I do hope you find it, Lizzy."

Touched, Lizzy thanks her sister.

"And to find it, you need some killer heels to match with the dresses. Oh, I just know the one. Wait here, I let you borrows my louboutins." She dashed to her room to grab the said shoes.

Lizzy plop back on her bed and sighs.


	4. Beta Needed

Hi everyone. I hope you guys have a great holiday and new year. This is not an update, unfortunatety. I've been busy with family matters this last few weeks and add that to my penchant for procastinate, I ended up with an unwritten story. Hmmm...  
Sorry for those who waited, I'll try to write faster.

Also, while I have quite an active imagination and therefore alot of different plots swimming in my head waiting to be written. I'm not-so-good with the technical aspect of the writing. I humbly admits I needed a beta to help me with grammars, tenses and some sentence structures. So, if there's anyone willing to help, please PM me. Thank you so much for your response to the story. I appreciate it very much.

xoxo


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